Slenderman inspired preteens to kill? Website defends content

Stabbing of 12-year-old in Wisconsin was inspired by Internet character Slenderman, authorities say

Two 12-year-old girls charged in classmate's stabbing in Wisconsin were allegedly inspired by Slenderman

The
website that officials said helped inspire two Wisconsin girls accused
of stabbing a classmate brushed off criticism on Tuesday, condemning the
attack as an "isolated incident."

A 12-year-old Waukesha girl who
survived being stabbed 19 times was found Saturday by a bicyclist,
police said. Shortly afterward, two 12-year-old classmates were arrested
and told police they were inspired by a creepy, fictional character
known as Slenderman on the website Creepypasta Wiki, authorities said.

According
to the website, "a creepypasta is a short story posted on the Internet
that is designed to unnerve and shock the reader," and Creepypasta Wiki
is a user-edited database of those stories, similar to Wikipedia.

"I'm
going to make myself loud and clear: ALL WORKS PRESENTED ON THIS WIKI
AND OTHER SITES (INCLUDING SLENDERMAN ... ) ARE FICTIONAL STORIES AND
CHARACTERS," a site administrator identified as Sloshtrain wrote Tuesday after the attack drew national attention to the website.

"This wiki does not endorse or advocate for the killing, worship, and
otherwise replication of rituals of fictional works," the administrator
wrote, also offering condolences to the families affected by the
attack. "There is a line of between fiction and reality, and it is up to
you to realize where the line is. We are a literature site, not a crazy
satanic cult."

Both alleged attackers have been charged as adults
with attempted murder. Police said they had been plotting the attack
against their classmate for months. The victim was found by the cyclist
after crawling for help.

An attorney for one of the suspects said he was concerned
about her mental health and would repeat his request for the court to
move her from juvenile detention to a mental health facility, the
Associated Press reported.

Anthony Cotton said Tuesday that he
would meet with his client later in the day, but that based on what he
knew thus far he believed she has serious mental health problems and
should be in a hospital, the AP reported. He said a judge rejected his
request to move the girl Monday.

The affidavit for the charges was not immediately available, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel obtained a copy, which included a description of one of the girl's statements to police:

"[Suspect Anissa
E. Weier] told police that Slender Man is the 'leader' of Creepypasta,
and in the hierarchy of that world, one must kill to show dedication.
Weier said that [fellow suspect Morgan E. Geyser] told her they should
become 'proxies' of Slender Man — a paranormal figure known for his
ability to create tendrils from his fingers and back — and kill their
friend to prove themselves worthy of him. Weier said she was surprised
by Geyser's suggestion, but also excited to prove skeptics wrong and
show that Slender Man really did exist."

Slenderman doesn't actually exist, of course, and is relatively young as far as creepy urban legends go.

The
concept of Slenderman went on to have lasting power at the Creepypasta
Wiki, which hosts photos and anecdotes purporting to show the creepy
figure popping up at historical sites over the years.

Along with
stories about ghosts and UFOs, these sort of creepy characters are a
staple among the gothic underbelly of the Internet, and — if Creepypasta
Wiki's Twitter followers are any indication — are pretty popular with young people.

"This
should be a wake-up call for all parents," Russell P. Jack, Waukesha's
police chief, said in a statement Monday. "Parents are strongly
encouraged to restrict and monitor their children's Internet usage."

In response to similar criticism, Sloshedtrain cited the site's popularity as a defense.

"These
are the same people who think violent video games help create mass
murderers, because it is convenient to blame and point fingers," the
administrator wrote, adding: "Something like this was bound to happen,
considering the size of the Creepypasta community. All it takes is one
person to do something insane and radical in the name of someone or
something."

I can't recall a topic . I saw the breaking news . Awful . I have parental contols on all electronics my daughter use and i search her history . My baby turn 9 last month , but we will continue to monitor and talk with her daily . I bet the girls will never serve a day in jail . I talk with my daughter about the story . India is not allowed to enter any nieghbors homes . I trust no one with my daughter except for my siblings /Aunts .

I have no desire for anyone to babysit my child . No one ever watch my daughter . I am a over protective people say , but i don't care with the way devils are killing children . I enjoy doing everything possible with my daughter . Kids grow up so fast .

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